WD-40 Specialist Contact Cleaner can also be used on a number of different electrical and electronic appliances including printers & copiers, witches & controls, spark plugs & electrical assemblies, clear tape heads and metal, most plastics and most rubbers.
First of all I just gave it a quick shot on the bottom of the cartridge (head section), any WD40 will be washed off or thru in a short period of time by the ink flowing through, maybe a few prints. I had no problem, my first print after using WD40 was fine. Run a few 4x6 thru first to be sure.
The sponge end of a blocked printer head can be cleaned with only one liquid other than water. This liquid is isopropyl alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol isn't strong enough to melt the sponge but is still strong enough to dissolve the ink inside the blocked printer head.
Otherwise use a printer head cleaning solution recipe of 50% water and 50% rubbing alcohol. We also like a homemade printhead cleaning solution that is 8-parts Windex to 2-parts rubbing alcohol. This printer head cleaning fluid works like a charm and it's cheap to make!
It won't hurt plastic or rubber. We use it to clean glue off of our label printers and clean the rollers in laser printers too. I would use WD-40 before alcohol. I would bet the labels are stuck to more than just the roller.
Lightly dampen a clean, lint-free cloth with bottled or distilled water, and then squeeze any excess liquid from the cloth. Press the cloth against the rollers and rotate them upwards with your fingers.
Fill a bowl with warm water (or a mixture of water and vinegar to clean the printhead) and place the printhead directly in it. Let it sit for five minutes or so. Pull the printhead out of the water and use a lint-free cloth or paper towel to remove the dried ink.
As a last resort I tried soaking the head in methylated spirits for about 15 minutes. Then I blew out the nozzles and basically the whole head with compressed air. I reinstalled the head and carried out a deep clean. Then I did a nozzle check and all was working like brand new.
You may need to clean the print head up to 4 times. You can also turn off your Epson printer and wait at least 6 hours. Then try printing again.
If streaks or white lines appear on your labels, you can clean the print head. Caution: Do not use benzine, paint thinner, or other chemicals to clean the printer.
If your PC or the LCD screen on your printer is telling you that your ink cartridges are full but no ink is passing through to the paper, then it's most likely that you are dealing with a clogged printhead. Blurry documents and images that appear faded are also signs that it's time to remove the excess ink.
Take a warm damp paper towel or coffee filter and blot the cartridge with the printhead facing down onto the paper towel. This will remove any dried ink on the printhead. Then, hold the cartridge with the printhead facing down against a dry paper towel for 2-3 minutes. A dry paper towel will wick the ink out.
Clean with 90% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) on a foam tip applicator or on a soft cloth. We do not recommend using other cleaning solutions, such as Goo Gone or nail polish remover.
Methylated spirits can be used as rubbing alcohol when diluted down to about 65-70%. The reason it needs to be diluted down to this is so it is not as harsh on the skin and so it evaporates off slower in order to kill the bacteria.
Methylated spirits are a strongly violet-coloured liquid often used to fire steam-powered boats and locomotives. It can also be used to clean stains and grime from different surfaces. On the other hand, Isopropyl alcohol is a colourless alcohol liquid that is used to kill harmful germs and bacteria from surfaces.
If the ink level is sufficient, but the printer still does not print black ink, you may need to run a cleaning cycle. A cleaning cycle is a process that cleans the printer heads and removes any clogged or dried ink.
Always use a lithium- or silicone-based grease to lubricate your rollers. When applying the lubrication, you'll want to have a cloth handy to wipe up any drips. You may also want to put down a drop cloth or tarp to protect the floor of your garage from grease stains.
Use isopropyl alcohol or ethanol according to the manufacturer's safety guidelines, as applicable. Wipe the roller with a lint-free cloth dipped in isopropyl alcohol or ethanol. After cleaning the roller, make sure that no lint or other material remains on the roller.
Printer Oil: Designed to lubricate internal components, printer oil is an essential part of regular printer maintenance, and should be applied after cleaning.